Asian Start-Ups Step Out Of Silicon Valley’s Shadow

For years, start-ups across Asia have been described as local versions of Silicon Valley players. …But as their skyrocketing valuations show, investors are starting to realise that successful Asian start-ups are more than carbon copies of western companies.

Local problems, after all, often call for local solutions.

Go-Jek, again, is a prime example. The company is often referred to as “Uber on motorbikes” and the thinking behind the business does have much in common with that of Uber Technologies. But as anyone who has travelled in Indonesia knows, it is practically impossible to get anywhere on time on four wheels, making the more mobile motorbike a better solution.

Go-Jek has also broadened its scope further than Uber has: Its drivers now carry not only people but also parcels and even masseurs to waiting clients. Even in China, where rapid motorization means traveling by car is now the norm, “Uber of China” Didi managed to beat off competition from the Silicon Valley company — and eventually acquired Uber’s Chinese business — thanks in part to a deeper understanding of the local market.